UK: High-quality abortion services come at a price, so let’s pay it

by Ann FurediAbortion care charities now have to compete for contracts – and NHS cost-cutting means the cheapest service is almost always commissioned

Ann Furedi is chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Thursday 22 December 2016, The Guardian

Abortion today is an extremely safe, straightforward procedure, provided in a highly regulated environment. One in three women in the UK will have an abortion in her lifetime, funded by the NHS (except if she lives in Northern Ireland). This will usually take place within an NHS hospital or in a centre run by one of the independent charitable providers – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) or Marie Stopes International (MSI). But just because it is safe doesn’t mean corners can be cut, or providers can pick and mix from rules and regulations, as was unearthed in the course of the care quality commission’s investigation of MSI.